Machine for forming ribbed strips



Nov. 15, 1938. R. E. WOODBURN MACHINE FOR FORMING RIBBED STRIPS FiledDec. 27, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR RALPH E. WOODIBURN W/AZLW WMATTORNEYS Nov. 15, 1938. R. E. WOODBURN 2,136,533

MACHINE FOR FORMING RIBBED STRIPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 27, 1937'FIG.4.'

INVENTOR Patented Nov. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFMJE MACHINE. FORFORMING RIBBED STRIPS Application December 27, 1937, Serial No. 181,914

6 Claims.

The invention relates to the manufacture of trays or spacers for use inpackages and cartons for dividing the space therein into a multiplicityof separate compartments. More specifically, the invention relates tothe manufacture of such trays to be placed in boxes for soft gelatincapsules so as to hold the latter from contact with each other. However,the same mechanism may be employed. for manufacturing other traysdesigned for different purposes.

In the present state of the art, capsule trays have been formed fromstrips of paper or other thin sheet material which are folded to form. aseries of spaced transversely and upwardly extending ribs. These ribsare then slitted or notched to receive slitted or notched longitudinallyextending strips which when engaged therewith divide the tray into aseries of cells. It is the object of the present invention to obtain amechanism which will rapidly and accurately form the ribbed strip andwill also slit or notch the same to be ready for engagement with thelongitudinally extending strips. To this end the invention consists inthe construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of the trays forming the productof the machine, showing certain of the longitudinal strips in place andone strip detached;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the mold in which the strips arefashioned;

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the machine forforming the strips;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the machine;

Figure 5 is a cross section thereof;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing a slightly modifiedconstruction.

Trays which are formed of paper or other 40 substantially non-extensiblematerial must be fashioned Without any drawing or stretching action.Where, however, a series of ribs are to be formed on a continuous strip,the simultaneous fashioning of the same with dies is impossible. This isfor the reason that the length of the flat strip from which the tray isformed must be equal to the length of the completed tray plus twice theheight of all of the ribs. A single cell including a pair of ribs can bereadily formed by pressing the sheet into a mold, but a plurality ofcells cannot be simultaneously formed in this manner without rupturingof the material. With my invention this difiiculty is overcome by thesuccessive formation of the cells and ribs starting. at one. end of theblank and progressing toerably formed of sheet metal or other thin stripI material inserted in grooves in the bottom portion B and opposite sideportions C. These strips are also notched at E to provide clearance forsevering blades, as hereinafter described. F is a bed or table on whichthe mold tray A is placed, and G is a frame extending up from this tableand supporting the forming dies. These forming dies H are verticallyslidably mounted in the frame G to be in alignment with the cellsbetween the strips D of the mold tray A. Normally the dies H aresufliciently raised above the table F to permit of the insertion of themold tray with the paper strip resting thereon. The dies are thensuccessively depressed starting from one end of the strip, and eachoperation will draw the paper longitudinally to provide the necessarylength for both the bottom and the side ribs of the cell. After thefirst cell is formed, the material for the succeeding cells will bedrawn toward the first and the length of the blank is sumcient for theentire series.

After the depression of the last plunger die and while all are still inengagement with the mold tray A, the folded ribs are slitted inalignment'with the slots E in the strips D. This is accomplished byslitting blades I which are normally located in slots H in the dies Haligned with the slots E in the strips D. Thus, while the paper is stillheld by engagement of the dies H with the trays A, the blades I aremoved through the slots E thereby slitting the paper ribs.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed for the successive operations ofthe dies H and the slitting blades I. As shown, the dies H arevertically slidably mounted between longitudinally extending frame barsJ on opposite sides thereof and guides K at opposite ends of the series,the adjacent dies being in contact with each other. Beneath the oppositeframe bars J are cam members L mounted on a sliding member L, said cammembers embracing downwardly projecting portions of the dies H. The cammembers are provided with longitudinally extending slots L which receivelugs or pins M projecting from each of the dies I-I, thereby holding thedies in raised position in the normal position of the slide L'.

At one end of the slot L is an obliquely inclined extension slot L whichin turn connects with the horizontally extending extension slot L Thearrangement is such that when the slide L is moved forward from itsnormal position the pins M will be successively forced downward throughthe obliquely inclined slots L which movement will carry downward thedie member H pressing the same into the cell between the transversestrips D of the mold A. The slot L will then receive the pins to holdeach die in its lowered position until the entire series is depressed. Areverse movement of the slide L will then successively raise the diesuntil the whole series clears the mold tray A. The slide may be moved byany actuating means, such as a lever N at one end of the frame and apair of links 0 connecting said lever with the slide.

The slitting blades 1, as shown, are mounted in a vertically slidableframe P which latter is of inverted U-shape embracing the end guides Kbetween the frame members J. The blades I are secured at their oppositeends to the downwardly extending portions P of this frame and arelocated in the slots H in the dies H. The slots H are of sufiicientlength to permit the depression of the dies I-I without interferencewith the blades I. However, after all of the dies have been depressed,the frame P is moved downward by suitable means, such as a lever Q. Thiswill move all of the blades I into the slots E in the cross strips D,thereby slitting the paper folded over these strips. If desired, thisslitting may be effected by a different movement of the blades, such asshown in the modified construction, Figure 6. In this the blades I aremoved longitudinally of the series or transversely of the folded paperrib preferably by cranks U located at the opposite ends thereof; one ofwhich is actuated by a lever V. The blades I have a series of inclinedsharpened edges I which when the cranks U are rotated throughsubstantially will swing downward and longitudinally so as to cutthrough the slots in the cross strips D and the folded paper ribsthereon. It will be understood that these blades are normally raised soas to clear the space for insertion of the paper blank.

With the construction as described, the complete operation is asfollows. The mold A has a paper blank R placed thereon between the sideribs C and resting upon the cross strips D. It is then placed on thetable and positioned to be in registration with the dies. The lever N isnext operated to successively depress the dies, as previously explained,thereby successively forming the cells and ribs in the paper blank.Finally, the lever Q is depressed forcing the blades I into the slots Eof the strip D and slitting the ribs folded upon said strips. Suitablemeans such as springs S and T will respectively return the slide L andframe P to normal position, after which the mold may be removed and theformed paper strip S having the folded ribs S detached therefrom. Tocomplete the tray notched strips S are engaged with the aligned slits Sin the folded ribs S this being preferably done before detachment fromthe mold. The slits S extend substantially onehalf the depth of thefolded ribs and the notches or slits S in the strips S are of a lengthto embrace the unslitted portions of the ribs. Thus, the ribs may bequickly placed in position and will form a cellular tray.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A machine for forming ribbed strips comprising, a mold having aseries of spaced cross bars, a series of plunger dies respectivelyregistering with the spaces between cross bars and normally separatedtherefrom for the insertion of a blank to be formed therebetween, saidplunger dies and cross bars having registering slots therein extendinglongitudinally of the series, means for successively actuating saidplunger dies to press portions of the blank successively into the spacesbetween cross bars thereby drawing the blank longitudinally and foldingportions thereof over said cross bars, and means for moving a severingblade through the registering slots in said plunger dies and cross barsto slit the folded portions of the blank.

2. A machine for forming ribbed strips comprising, a bed or table, amold supported on said table having a series of spaced cross bars, aframe extending above said table, a series of plunger dies verticallyslidably mounted in said frame to register respectively with the spacesbetween said cross bars of said mold and normally raised for theinsertion of a blank to be formed therebetween, said cross bars andplungers having registering slots therein extending longitudinally ofthe series, a cutter blade normally located in the slots in said plungerdies above said mold, means for successively depressing said plungers topress portions of the blank successively into the spaces between crossbars thereby drawing the blank longitudinally and folding portions ofthe same over said bars, and means for subsequently moving said cutterblade into the slots in said cross bar to slit the folded portions ofsaid blank.

3. A machine for forming ribbed strips comprising, a bed or table, amold supported on said table having a series of spaced cross bars, aframe extending above said table, a series of plunger dies verticallyslidably mounted in said frame to register respectively with the spacesbetween cross bars of said mold and normally raised for the insertion ofa blank to be formed therebetween, and a cam mounted on said frame to bemovable thereon longitudinally of the series of plungers and havingengagement with the latter to successively press the same into thespaces between cross bars of the mold.

4. A machine for forming ribbed strips comprising, a bed or table, amold supported on said table having a series of spaced cross bars, aframe extending above said table, a series of plunger dies verticallyslidably mounted insaid frame to register respectively with the spacesbetween cross bars of said mold and normally raised for the insertion ofa blank to be formed therebe- I tween, a slide on said frame embracingsaid series of plungers and movable longitudinally thereof, cams on theopposite sides of said slide having engagement with each of saidplungers and fashioned to successively depress the same into the spacesbetween cross bars of the mold, and means for actuating said slide.

5. A machine for forming ribbed strips comprising, a bed or table, amold supported on said table having a series of spaced cross bars, aframe extending above said table, a series of plunger dies verticallyslidably mounted in said frame to register respectively with the spacesbetween cross bars of said mold and normally raised for the insertion ofa blank to be formed therebetween, said plungers and cross bars havingregistering slots therein extending longitudinally of the series, cutterblades normally located in the slots in said plunger dies above saidmold and blank, a slide on said frame embracing said plunger dies andmovable longitudinally thereof, cams on the opposite sides of said slidehaving engagement with each of said plunger dies and fashioned tosuccessively depress the same in the movement of said slide therebypressing said blank into the spaces between cross bars and foldingportions over said bars, and means operable subsequently ,to thedepression of said plunger dies for moving said cutter blades into theslots in said cross 10 bars to slit the folded portions of said blank.

6. A machine for forming ribbed strips comprising a series of thin crossbars with wider spaces therebetween, a series of plunger diesrespectively registering with said spaces and normally separated fromsaid bars for the insertion therebetween of a blank to be formed, andmeans for successively actuating said plunger dies to press each blankinto the registering space, folding a portion over one of said thincross bars and drawing the required length of material about the widerplunger die.

RALPH E. WOODBURN.

